Roberto Mancini eyes Radamel Falcao and Daniele De Rossi after admitting Manchester City will spend in January

Determined to buy: Roberto Mancini wants up to three new faces (Picture: PA)

Manchester City are eyeing up moves for Radamel Falcao and Daniele De Rossi after Roberto Mancini confirmed the club will buy in January – in a bid to catch Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table.

City come into the new year seven points behind rivals United, having endured a shaky last few weeks, but Mancini is ready to dip into the Dubai coffers to fund a revival – especially with his squad currently threadbare.

‘We might have a problem. We lose three to the African Nations Cup and I don’t think Micah Richards will play until the end of February.’

‘We will probably have to buy.’

Wanted: Daniele De Rossi is a long-term City target (Picture: Getty)

The news will put on red alert several of Mancini’s top targets, including Atletico Madrid hitman Falcao and Roma skipper De Rossi, who would cost upwards of £30million each.

City are thought to want up to three new faces in the coming month, and Mancini has also ruled out any potential outgoings, insisting ‘We don’t have enough players to play if we sell players’.

Mancini is already rumoured to have failed with a loan bid for Barcelona star David Villa.